Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Pune Metro project, the city has one more reason to cheer, as the Pune Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (PMRDA) has given the go-ahead for a third Metro rail route, from Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar. The earlier two approved routes were from Vanaz to Ramwadi, and from Swargate to Pimpri Chinchwad. In a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is the chairman of PMRDA, the detailed project report (DPR) of the Metro rail route was approved.

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The 23.3-km Metro rail route will be completely elevated and constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 7,900 crore. The Metro would bring major relief to Puneites who commute daily to the Rajiv Gandhi Information Technology Park at Hinjewadi.

Roads leading to Hinjewadi are often clogged with traffic jams, and efforts to resolve the issue, by improving PMPML bus services in the area, have not made much difference. “Almost two lakh citizens are employed at the I-T park and the number is increasing. Over one lakh vehicles, along with 885 buses, ply daily on the route. The Rajiv Gandhi I-T Park at Hinjewadi contributed 50 per cent of the Rs 1,500 crore annual turnover from the city’s I-T sector, but the area lacked basic facilities,” said guardian minister Girish Bapat. He said it has been decided that funds for the project would be raised from the international market and its implementation would be speeded up.

PMRDA Commissioner Mahesh Zagade said the DPR of the third Metro route was prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and tabled in a meeting of the Authority. “The proposal was approved and it will be sent to the state government for necessary clearance,” he said.

The PMRDA also gave its go-ahead for a proposed ring road, which will divert the highway traffic without passing through the city. “The ring road would be 129 kilometres long and 10 metres wide. The administrative approval for the project has been given and work on detailed estimates of the project cost will begin soon,” added Zagade.